Pterodroma incerta

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PROCELLARIIFORMES	PROCELLARIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Pterodroma incerta

Species Authority:

(Schlegel, 1863)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Atlantic Petrel
French	–	Pétrel de Schlegel

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B2ab(v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Calvert, R., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Contributor/s:

Cuthbert, R., Wanless, R., Hilton, G., Ryan, P.

Justification:
This species has been listed as Endangered because it has an extremely small occupied breeding range, and there is now evidence that that chick predation by introduced mice is causing very low breeding success and is likely to be causing the population to decline. It has not been recorded from Tristan de Cunha for 35 years, and, were it to be confirmed as extinct there, it may qualify for uplisting to Critically Endangered.

History:

2008	–	Endangered
2007	–	Vulnerable
2006	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Pterodroma incerta breeds only on Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha (St Helena to UK). It is absent from Nightingale where there is no suitable habitat, and probably also from Inaccessible, although it is possible that a small number of birds could breed there because there have been no surveys during the winter breeding season⁵, and Tristan, where though the population was estimated to be 100-200 pairs in 1972-1974, there have been no records since then at it is now beleived to be extinct on that island^4,5. On Gough, the first quantitative population estimate indicates a total of around 1.8 million pairs⁶, considerably larger than the earlier estimate of at least 20,000 pairs⁵. Recent evidence suggests that fledging success is very low, less than 20% during the last five years and perhaps as low as 2% in 2007, and this is likely to be driving a long term decline^6,8,9. At sea, it is practically restricted to the South Atlantic, occurring off the east coast of South America to the west coast of Africa^2,5.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Brazil; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); Namibia; Saint Helena; South Africa; United States; United States; United States; Uruguay Vagrant: Antarctica; Israel; Jordan; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	On Gough, Cuthbert in litt. (2001) estimated 1,800,000 breeding pairs, suggesting a world population of around 5,000,000 birds (Brooke 2004).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

On Gough, Cuthbert in litt. (2001) estimated 1,800,000 breeding pairs, suggesting a world population of around 5,000,000 birds (Brooke 2004).

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It feeds mainly on squid with some fish and crustaceans³. It nests in burrows dug in peaty soils in fern-bush vegetation from 50-300 m on Gough and formerly, at higher elevations on Tristan. Nothing is known of age of first breeding, breeding frequency or survival⁵.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species was once of major economic importance to the Tristan Islanders as it was one of the few sources of food in winter but, by the 1940s, the birds had become scarce⁴. It is very unlikely to be exploited today⁵. On Tristan, rats and are present and have probably driven it to extinction^4,9. On Gough, the only potential introduced predator is the house mouse Mus musculus and recent research reveals that mice are predating chicks and causing very low breeding success which is driving the long-term decline^6,7,8,9. The large population of native Southern Skua Catharacta antarctica feed on seabirds including P. incerta⁴. Night strikes (as a result of being attracted to lights) are a further threat. This has been ameliorated at the Gough meteorological station, but may still pose a problem on ships at sea⁵.

Major Threat(s):

This species was once of major economic importance to the Tristan Islanders as it was one of the few sources of food in winter but, by the 1940s, the birds had become scarce⁴. It is very unlikely to be exploited today⁵. On Tristan, rats and are present and have probably driven it to extinction^4,9. On Gough, the only potential introduced predator is the house mouse Mus musculus and recent research reveals that mice are predating chicks and causing very low breeding success which is driving the long-term decline^6,7,8,9. The large population of native Southern Skua Catharacta antarctica feed on seabirds including P. incerta⁴. Night strikes (as a result of being attracted to lights) are a further threat. This has been ameliorated at the Gough meteorological station, but may still pose a problem on ships at sea⁵.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway On Tristan, a programme to eradicate cats was successful in the 1970s. Gough is a nature reserve and World Heritage Site¹. The first ever quantitative population survey was undertaken on Gough, 2000/1, coupled to research into breeding ecology and reproductive output⁶. During 2003-6, further research on reproductive output and mouse predation was conducted. Searches on Tristan da Cunha have failed to locate any birds⁸. Conservation Actions Proposed Eradicate mice from Gough. Minimise the risk of further introduced species establishing on Gough, particularly any rat Rattus species⁵. Confirm the status of the population on Tristan da Cunha.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
On Tristan, a programme to eradicate cats was successful in the 1970s. Gough is a nature reserve and World Heritage Site¹. The first ever quantitative population survey was undertaken on Gough, 2000/1, coupled to research into breeding ecology and reproductive output⁶. During 2003-6, further research on reproductive output and mouse predation was conducted. Searches on Tristan da Cunha have failed to locate any birds⁸.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Eradicate mice from Gough. Minimise the risk of further introduced species establishing on Gough, particularly any rat Rattus species⁵. Confirm the status of the population on Tristan da Cunha.

Bibliography [top]

	Cooper, J.; Ryan, P. G. 1994. Management plan for the Gough Island Wildlife Reserve. Government of Tristan da Cunha, Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha. Cuthbert, R., Cooper, J., Burle, M.H., Glass, C.J., Glass, J.P., Glass, S., Glass, T., Hilton, G.M., Sommer, E.S., Wanless, R.M., Ryan, P.G. 2009. Population trends and conservation status of the northern rockhopper penguin Eudyptes moseleyi at Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. Bird Conservation International 19(1): 109-120. Cuthbert, R.; Hilton, G. 2004. Introduced house mice Mus musculus: a significant predator of threatened and endemic birds on Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean? Biological Conservation 117: 483-489. Enticott, J. W. 1991. Distribution of the Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta at sea. Marine Ornithology 19: 49-60. Klages, N. T. W.; Cooper, J. 1997. Diet of the Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta during breeding at South Atlantic Gough Island. Marine Ornithology 25: 13-6. Richardson, M. E. 1984. Aspects of the ornithology of the Tristan da Cunha group and Gough Island, 1972-1974. Cormorant 12: 123-201. Wanless, R. M.; Angel, A.; Cuthbert, R. J.; Hilton, G. M.; Ryan, P. G. 2007. Can predation by invasive mice drive seabird extinctions? Biology Letters 3: 241-244.

Cooper, J.; Ryan, P. G. 1994. Management plan for the Gough Island Wildlife Reserve. Government of Tristan da Cunha, Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha.

Cuthbert, R., Cooper, J., Burle, M.H., Glass, C.J., Glass, J.P., Glass, S., Glass, T., Hilton, G.M., Sommer, E.S., Wanless, R.M., Ryan, P.G. 2009. Population trends and conservation status of the northern rockhopper penguin Eudyptes moseleyi at Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. Bird Conservation International 19(1): 109-120.

Cuthbert, R.; Hilton, G. 2004. Introduced house mice Mus musculus: a significant predator of threatened and endemic birds on Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean? Biological Conservation 117: 483-489.

Enticott, J. W. 1991. Distribution of the Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta at sea. Marine Ornithology 19: 49-60.

Klages, N. T. W.; Cooper, J. 1997. Diet of the Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta during breeding at South Atlantic Gough Island. Marine Ornithology 25: 13-6.

Richardson, M. E. 1984. Aspects of the ornithology of the Tristan da Cunha group and Gough Island, 1972-1974. Cormorant 12: 123-201.

Wanless, R. M.; Angel, A.; Cuthbert, R. J.; Hilton, G. M.; Ryan, P. G. 2007. Can predation by invasive mice drive seabird extinctions? Biology Letters 3: 241-244.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Pterodroma incerta. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2012.
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